Seamed tube



May 15, 1928.

H. BRUCKER SEAMED TUBE Fil ad no); 20, 1925 u. E N R O T. T A

Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES T 'FFHC HENRY BRUCKER, or NEWARK, NEW 'JEEsEY', ASSIGNOB To AMERICAN ALoMmUM WARE COMPANY, A CORPORATION NEW JERSEY.

sEAEiED TUBE.

Application filed November 20, 1925. 'Seria1 No. 70,4 11.

This invention relates in general toseamed tubes, that is tubes made of sheet metal the edges of which are seamed together, and

more particularly the invention relates to such a tube especially designed for use as a core for a coil of tape, ribbon and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide aseamed tube formed of one piece of sheet metal and having a novel and improved mechanical interlocking connection or seaming together of thevedges thereof tohold the sheet in tubular form. Another object isto provide such a tube formed ofa single sheet of material and hav- 1 ing its longitudinal edges provided with novel and improved ears or projections to form an interlocking connection of the edges v to hold the sheet in tubular form, whereby the edges maybe interlocked as the sheet is rolled into the form of a tube and in one operation.

Further objects are to provide a tube of this character which is simple and ineXpen-,

sive in construction; to provide a tube of this character in which the seam or connection of the edges of the sheet of materialtional view, taken on the line 22 of Figf ure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tube viewed from an angle of 180 degrees to that of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional viecyv, taken on the line 44t of Figure 1, an 1 Figure 5 is a plan view on reducedscale of the blank sheetof material from which the tube is formed. 1

Specifically describing the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the reference character A designates a substantially rec- I tangular sheet of suitable material, for instance aluminum, which is provided on its longitudinal edges 1 with a plurality of integral projections .orcars 2 which may be.

formed in any suitable manner as by stamping operation. The ears 2 at one edge of the sheet are arranged 1n alternate :or'

staggered relation tothe ears atthe other edge of the sheet, and preferably. the ears are in general arcuate in configuration but have, straight portions 3 at their bases arranged at substantially right angles to the corresponding edge of the sheet A. All of the ears 2 are ofthe same size and arranged with the straight portion 3 of an ear at one edge of the sheet in substantial alinement with the straightportion, of an ear; at the. other edge of the sheet, as clearly shown'in Figure 5 of the drawings. i

To form a tube from the sheet A, the sheet isrolled in any suitable known manner into tubular form so a'sto cause the'ears 2 at one edge 1to overlap the opposite edge,

as shown in Figures 1 and 4, andat the same I time the ears are pressed downwardly against the sheet. In this operation, thestraight portions 3 of the ears at one edge of the sheet are brought into abutting relation with the corresponding sides 3 'ofthe ears at the other edge of the sheet,and the operation is performed with some force sothat a slight jamming'a'ction takes place at the angles formed b the'meeting of the' straight portions 8 o the ears with the edges 1 of the sheet A.

With such aconstruction, the curvature of the ears corresponding to the curvature of" the tube, as shown in Figure 4:, in connection with the jamming action produced by the straightsides 3 of the ears, prevents the edges ofthe sheet from separating in a circumferential direction; the alternate over-' lapping relation of the ears and the opposite edges of the sheet prevents the edgesof the sheet from being pressed inwardly of the tube or expanded outwardly, Furthermore, the overlapping relation of the ears 2 and the edges 1 of the sheet, the corres onding arcuate curvature of the ears and t e tube and the pressing of the ears into the opposite edges of the sheet, eliminate all projections on the exterior surface of the tube.

"The edges of the sheet may be secured together as above described in one operation andwithout any bending, twisting, soldering or other fastening operations common to many of the known seaming operations.

'- Preferably, the end edges of the sheet are returned upon the sheet as at 4 to provide smooth ends for the tube and also to reenforce theend edges of the tube.- Such a tube is'particularly" advantageous as a, core for. s. a c011 of tape, ribbon, and thelike,,s1nce it. is

1 cheap and may be discarded after use, and is suficiently strong to withstand the Winding more, the detailsof construction operation and support the coil thereon.

The sheet may have stamped therein a rib 5 which will project inwardly of the tube, .said rib serving as a key to enter the keyway' of a winding mandrel or spindle so vas to cause the tube .to rotate with the spindle 1 during the operation of winding tape or rib- I the spirit or scope of the invention. There'- Ifore, I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself except as required by the following claims when construed in the light ,of the prior art.

Having 'thus' described the what I'claim is: 5 i l; A seamed cylindrical tube comprising a invention,

single sheet of material havinga plurality of integral earsin spaced relation at each longitudinal edge thereof with a portion of.

y the straight edge of the sheet between adjacent ears, said cars at one edge being disposed in staggered relation to the ears on the other edge and each overlapping the opposite edge of said sheet'and pressed thereinto with its outer surface in the same curved plane as the outer periphery of the tube,

"each of said ears having .a substantially straight portion at each side thereof meetsubstantially of the tube at substantially right angles convexly cuiwed'outer ends, said earsat one edge being disposed in staggeredre'lation to the ears at the opposite edge, sogthat when ing the corresponding edge of said sheet at right angles and in abutting relation to corresponding portions of an ear 7 at the opposite edge ofsaid sheet, theedges of said sheet at, the bases of said ears being also in abutting relation.

'2. A seamed cylindrical tube comprising a single sheet of material havinga plurality of :integral substantially convexly arcuate ears in spaced relation at each longitudinal edge thereof with the straight edge-of the sheet between them,

conforming ci'rcuinferentiall'y to the curvature of the periphery jofthetube, thea-rcuateformation of the earsjperinitting the edges to smoothly conform to the. circumferential" curvature of the tube. v- 3. A blank for a seamed cylindr-icaltube comprising a single sheetof pliable, material having a plurality ofidentical integral ears in spaced relation at each longitudinal edge thereof w th the straight edge of the sheet between them, said ears having straight portions on their-sidesat their bases of sand sheet and having;

meeting the corresponding edge,

} said ear-sat one edge being disposed in staggered relation to A 'l ears at the opposite edge and eachear over-"l lapping the opposite edge of said sheet and said blank is compressed circumferentially each ear overlaps the opposite edge of a'ndis pressed into said sheet so as to conform'to the curvature of the periphery o'f'the tube, the straight portion of each of saidfears being jammed into an abutting 'relation'with the corresponding portion of the adjacente'arat the opposite edgeof said sheet and the edges" 7:

of said sheet between said ears being jammed into an abutting, relation at. the

HE RY Banase;

bases of said ears. 

